Community Cat Program

Brought to you by: Harris County Veterinary Public Health, Best Friends Animal Society, Houston Pets Alive and Friends For Life

Click HERE To fill out the Volunteer Application, otherwise more info below!

Program Needs

The community cat program pilot is designed to provide innovate services to the constituents of Precinct 1 through a public / private partnership between Harris County and three non-profit animal welfare organizations.

VPH has made great strides forward in implementing programs over the past few years designed to save more animals while ensuring optimal public safety. These have been incredibly successful for dogs, yet the majority cats continue to be euthanized at Harris County Veterinary Public Health (VPH) and citizen cat complaint calls continue to rise each year.

This community cat program will close this gap by providing proven free-roaming cat management through targeted sterilization and vaccination services.

Program Overview

The community cat program combines two approaches to free-roaming cat management. The first is trap-neuter-return (TNR) in which cats at risk for entering the shelter are vaccinated and sterilized. The second is shelter-neuter-return (SNR) in which cats that have already entered the shelter are selected for the program, vaccinated, sterilized and returned to their impoundment location.

The pilot will run from June 1st 2017 through December 31st 2017 the zip codes 77073, 77090, and 77032.

Six-hundred cats will be provided services during the pilot of which it is estimated 200 will come from the shelter and 400 will come from the community in a direct intake-prevention method. Of these 400 it should be a goal that 25% are strategically trapped in response to high-priority calls and 75% are trapped by individuals using the trap loan program.

Volunteer positions

Cat Placement Manager: This person is the liaison to all other teams. They will track intake/ outcome, coordinate cats to be released back to original habitat, track hot spots and needs for hot spots (TNR v. mitigation). This requires 1-2 people volunteering approximately 2hrs per day, at least 5 days per week. This is a virtual position and can be done from home.

Cat Placement Volunteers: These are volunteers who pick up cats from the shelter and release them back to their original habitat/colony. This is a group of people volunteering approximately 2hrs per shift. Shifts happen daily. Only one person per shift is needed. You can have as many shifts as you’d like. This is a hands-on, field-based position.

Trap/ Voucher Manager: This person is responsible for loaning out traps and providing vouchers. This requires 1-2 people volunteering approximately 2hrs per day, at least 5 days per week. Much of this will be virtual however on occasion you will need to meet to hand off traps and vouchers. We will try to identify a central location for this.

TNR Manager: This person helps train the community how to use the traps and the TNR process. They will also provide TNR services to hotspots without an identified feeder/caregiver/colony manager. Also responsible for site visits to determine TNR needs. This requires 1-2 people approximately 4 hours per shift, shifts are as needed. This also requires a few hours per week coordinating with Cat Placement Manager. This is a hands-on position.

TNR Volunteers: responsible for TNR. This requires a group of volunteers approximately 4 hours per shift, hands-on in the field.

Mitigation Manager: This person will be respond to complaints via phone/ email and the ultimate decision maker regarding how best to mitigate a particular difficult situation. This is mainly a virtual position requiring 1-2 people volunteering 2 hours per day. Sometimes this person will need to go to the field to help with mitigation.

Mitigation Volunteers: Responds to phone calls/ emails, may need to do site visits (provide resources & cat deterrents). This is a group of people volunteering approximately 2 hours per day, 7 days a week. Each day can be done by shift. You can take as many shifts as you’d like. Spanish speaking volunteers are needed!

Training and resources will be provided for all positions. Fill out the volunteer application and we will be in touch with you regarding which position interests you and training sessions.